Connector for containers and package



Aug. 19, 1959 J, P. HAMILTON ETAL 3 ,0

CONNECTOR FOR CONTAINERS ANDPACKAGE FiledSept. 15, 1967 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG. 3

4 I/ V /%Z/ z 5 27 ,27 5 I H Hi I ll 6 1 :lil 9 v m INVENTOR. JOSEPH PORTOLA HAMILTON I BYALEXANDER DONALD 2 ATTORNEYS Aug. 19, 1969 J. i HAMILTON m 3,452,010

CONNECTOR FOR CONTAINERS AND PACKAGE Filed Sept. 15, 1967 v a Sheets-Sheet 2 55 INVENTOR. h JOSEPH PORTOLA HAMILTON ALEXANDER DONALD ATTORNEYS Aug. 1969 J. P. HAMILTON E 3,462,010

CONNECTOR FOR CONTAINERS AND PACKAGE Filed Sept. 15, 1 1967 FIG...11

- 4 F'IG 12 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR. JOSEPH PORTOLA HAMILTON l ExANDER DONALD ATTORNEYS United States Patent O US. Cl. 206-65 6 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A connector for securing together one of the ends of a plurality of containers such as are commonly used for beverages, to provide a unitary package for shipment, display, and for manual carrying.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION Heretofore containers for beverages have been connected by wrap-around cardboard blanks to form packages, each having a plurality of containers. Such blanks are costly and highly expensive apparatus has been required to make up the packages.

It has been customary for packages including the wraparound blanks or carrier, to be cooled in a refrigerator, and their construction precludes any other type of cooling, such as by ice, hence persons taking the packages of beverages on picnics, to games, or hunting or fishing trips either tolerate the beverages at higher temperatures than is desired, or carry relatively bulky equipment or do without.

In the packaging of cans, jars, etc., it is highly desirable that the containers be oriented where the labels on the containers are exposed, so that the labels on the containers will uniformly face in directions for making the best display. It is therefore highly desirable that in any handling of the cans or containers between the time they are oriented and finally packaged the containers maintain their oriented position.

Heretofore the employment of heat shrinkable plastic film of various types have been used in packaging cans, such as in United States Letters Patent No. 3,087,610, issued Apr. 30, 1963 to W. C. Kirkpatrick, and the term heat shrinkable plastic film or film may apply to one or more of the types disclosed therein.

SUMMARY The present invention provides a package that includes a group of containers such as cans, jars and the like in predetermined oriented positions relative to their labels, with the labels fully visible and which package includes an economical connector for connecting the containers and for holding the group together in oriented position during handling and packaging and an outer enclosure in the form of a transparent film-like bag, sleeve or wrapper for securing the containers against shifting relative to each other or about their respective axes after the package is formed.

A combination is also provided in which containers having chimes, or the equivalent, are locked together within a shrink-type plastic film having an expandable portion adapted to be opened and closed for insertion of ice in said portion in direct heat exchange relation with the containers and which combination includes a connector for holding the containers in a compact group during and after packaging with their chimes in a common plane free from chime-lock.

. DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS In the drawings, FIG. 1 is a plan view of a connectorblank for a plurality of containers, such as cans, in a po- 3,462,010 Patented Aug. 19, 1969 ice sition overlying the cans to be connected thereby, the cans being indicated in dotted lines except where visible;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of a package that includes said connector, the latter being in a position connecting the group of cans indicated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary cross-sectional view taken along line 3--3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary cross-sectional view taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a side-elevational view of the blank of FIG. 1 in container-connecting position with the package in inverted position and the blank below the containers, the containers themselves being broken in length.

FIG. 6 is a view of a modified blank, similar to that of FIG. 1, but for glass jars, the jars being indicated in dotted lines, and the blank in open position unsecured to the jars;

FIG. 7 is a plan view of a package of jars connected by the blank of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a side-elevational view of the package of FIG.

FIG. 9 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view along line 9-9 of FIG. 7, and the dot-dash lines indicate the position of a similar portion of an adjacent package;

FIG. 10 is an enlarged fragmentary cross-sectional view taken along line 1010 of FIG. 7;

FIG. 11 is a side elevational view of a modification form of package, and partly in cross-section, the package including an expandable chamber for a refrigerant, the latter being shown in open position;

FIG. 12 is a side elevational view of the package of FIG. 11 sealed in closed position by a releasable and reusable seal.

FIG. 13 is an enlarged side elevational view of the package of FIG. 11, in which the refrigerant-chamber is expanded and with ice therein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION The blank of FIGS. l-S comprises a generally rectangular sheet 1 of cardboard having a central, generally rectangular portion 2. The outline of said central portion is defined by a pair of parallel folding creases 3 equally spaced from and parallel with two of the opposite edges of the blank 1, and a pair of longitudinally aligned folding creases 4 respectively extending perpendicularly to and between the ends of folding creases 3.

End creases 4 are equally spaced from the end edges of the sheet 1 distances greater than the spacing between creases 3 and the side edges of the sheet that are respectively adjacent thereto.

The end creases 4 at each end of sheet 1 are interrupted by a pair of corresponding cuts 5 that are spaced apart and equally spaced from the ends of creases 3 that are adjacent thereto. The cut of each pair extends arcuately outwardly along lines substantially coincidental with the curvature of a can 6 for a distance to provide an extension 7 projecting outwardly from and coplanar with the central portion 2, the outermost portion of each extension 7 being cut off along a line 8 that is parallel with crease 4.

The portion of blank 1 between the interrupted aligned folding creases 4 and the end edges of the blank 1, provides marginal portions 9, each terminating in end edges 10 that are in continuation of the folding creases 3, the corners of each portion 9 being curved.

A pair of folding creases 13 extend divergently relative to each other across each folding flap 9 from the ends of each cut 8. A central folding crease 14 is centrally between the pairs of creases 13.

The portions between folding creases 3 and the side edges of blank 1 provide marginal portions 15 of equal width.

In FIG. 1 the blank 1 is in a position with its central portion overlying two parallel rows of cans 6, with three cans in each row, and which cans have radially outwardly projecting chimes 16 that are in engagement with each along a medial line intermediate folding creases 3. At each of the opposite sides of such medial line, and positioned midway between said line, and each crease 3 are two pairs of{spaced tabs 17.

The tabs 17 of each pair are spaced apart extending away from each other and from a web portion 19 that is elongated in a direction perpendicular to creases 3. Web 19 extends between the ends of each pair of adjacent cuts 18, and is integral with the sheet 1 and with the tabs at its ends. The central portion 20 of each web 19 is of greater width than the end portions 23 of the web, and said end portions are connected with said tabs along parallel spaced folding creases 24.

In forming the package, the tabs 17 may be folded to generally opposed relation to one side of the blank or sheet 1, and each pair of said tabs is positioned between adjacent pairs of the cans or containers 6 in each of the two rows, so that the chimes on the cans of each such adjacent pair will project into the openings in said tabs that occur below the thickened portion of each web due to the cuts defining said thickened portion (FIG. 3).

The end marginal portions 9 are then folded against the end surfaces of the end portions of the end cans of the rows thereof and the chimes 16 of said end cans will then snap into the openings formed below each extension 7 so that the edges 25 of the marginal portions 9 along lines 8 (FIG. 1) will engage the axially facing surfaces of the chimes opposite to the extensions 7 (FIG. 4). The folding creases 13, 14 (FIG. 1) in said marginal portions will facilitate the edges 25 following the circumferential curvature of the sides of the end cans of said rows when the marginal portions are folded so edges 25 engage the axially facing surfaces of the chimes.

The marginal portions are then folded to extend over the outer sides of the end portions of the pair of rows of cans.

Finger openings 26 may be formed in the central portion 2 of the blank in the space between each of the two multiples of cans.

The connector may be secured to the cans in a position extending over a group of vertically disposed cans or it may be positioned below the cans, as seen in FIG. 5. In the latter instance the cans may be fed onto each horizontally disposed blank, and in either instance, it is preferable that the cans be oriented when so positioned onto the blank so that the labels 27 (FIG. 5) be in uniformly outwardly facing relation in the package. In this position the group of cans can be conveyed as a unit, particularly for further manipulation without disturbing the orientation, or chime-lock, but in any situation a minimum of cardboard is employed, and the blank may not only extend horizontally over the group of cans with no projections, such as a handle or ridges to preclude stacking of the packages, but each package is also protected on each of all four lateral sides by a depending flange such as marginal portions 9, 15, and means is provided for connecting each of the cans at two opposite sides thereof with the blank or connector. including means extending between the adjacent pairs of cans in one direction, all without noticeably adding to the lateral overall width and length and height of the package except for the negligible thickness of the flanges or marginal portions 15.

FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 show the group of cans or containers fully enclosed within a thin, transparent film of heat shrinkable plastic material 28 that functions to securely hold the package as a rigid unit. The connector formed from blank 1 holds the cans against chime-locking, and once the film is shrunk the cans cannot rotate about their respective axes.

It may be noted that the end flanges or marginal portions 9 flare outwardly away from the package, while the outer cover or enclosure 28 holds said portions closer to the end cans, and when two packages are in a case in end-to-end engaging relation the flanges 9 form a yieldable cushion between the packages. Thus, when chimes 16 are substantially in engagement, except for the negligible thickness of each enclosure 28, the flanges or marginal portions 9 will be under yieldable engagement with each other, and said outer enclosure 28 will prevent any snagging of flanges or marginal portions 9, 15 with each other or any other object, and the cans will be frictionally held in their oriented positions against shifting so as to disturb the predetermined uniformity in the positions of the labels. Also, the chimes 16, at opposite ends of the cans are enclosed in the plastic enclosure 28 so as to prevent snagging of the chimes with any outside objects, and to prevent the offsetting or locking of the chimes on one package with the chimes on an adjacent package or packages. In this case the film is preferably biaxially oriented.

The form of the invention in FIGS. 6l0 incorporates the desirable features of the invention as shown in FIGS. 1-5. While the blank, generally designated 29 in FIGS. 6-10, shows the invention as applied to four containers instead of six, it will be obvious to anyone skilled in the art that the blank may be modified to connect two or three containers, or groups larger than four having equal numbers of containers, and this observation applies to FIGS. 1-5 as well.

The blank 29 is rectangular, and is for glass jars 33, or the like, having a radially outwardly projecting cap 31 (FIGS. 8-10) at one end, although the body 33 of each jar is of greater diameter than the maximum diameter of the cap. The cap itself may have a reduced diameter upper end portion 34. In jars of this type, the cap is secured over the reduced diameter upper end portion of the neck or mouth so that the flange that depends from the upper end of the cap cooperates with the neck to provide a downwardly opening annular shallow recess 35 (FIGS. 9, 10) around the neck.

Blank 29 is formed with a plurality of pairs of spaced folding creases 36 at right angles to each other defining the junctures between equal width marginal portions 37 along the four edges of the blank.

Said creases 36 along each of the edges of the blank are interrupted by arcuate cuts 39 (FIG. 6) that curve outwardly from their ends, and said ends are at the line of each of the folding creases 36.

Each cut 39 defines an arcuate edge of one side of a slot 40 that extends longitudinally of each marginal portion 37, and the opposite edge 43 of each slot is formed with a projection 44 extending into the slot. These slots are relatively wide where caps 31 of the type described are used, so that each projection or tab 44 will snap into recess 35 (FIG. 9) when the flanges or marginal portions are folded along creases 36 to overlie the outer sides of the group of jars adjacent to said caps. These tabs 44 spring past the lower edges of the caps 30 to spring into recesses 36, and the maximum diameter portion 31 of each cap projects through each slot 40.

Preferably each of the marginal portions 37 includes an outer border strip 45 and a folding crease 46 parallel with and alongside each outer edge of each flange or marginal portion 37 defines one of the edges of each border strip.

When the connector or blank 29 is on the caps of a group of jars and the caps 31 project through slots 40, the border portions 45 will extend partially over the upper portions of the bodies of the group of jars so that the jars 31, 33 of one package cannot engage the jars of an adjacent package. FIG. 9 indicates in dot-dash line the jars of one package adjacent to the jars of another package, an end jar of said one package being shown in full line.

The end edges 47 of each marginal portion 37 between the creases 36, 46, are inclined so that said edges may approximately come together when the connector or blank 28 is secured to the jars.

The central portion 48 of each blank, inwardly of creases 36, is formed with pairs of aligned tabs 40 projecting oppositely outwardly from parallel spaced folding creases 50 which creases are along parallel spaced lines extending across the central portion 48 of the blank.

Each of the creases 50 is interrupted by oppositely outwardly extending projections 51 on the web 52 that is between the portions of creases 50 at opposite ends of each projection 51, and which web, in turn, is interrupted by a finger opening 53.

The outline of each projection 49 substantially corresponds to the outline of each slot 40, and each projection 51 is formed in each tab 49 to provide a projection 54 on each tab 49 that corresponds to the projection 44 that projects into each slot 40.

In attaching the connector of FIGS. 6-10, the tabs 49 are bent to one side of the blank to generally opposed relation (FIG. and as the extensions 51 of the web 52 are rigid with the web 52 they will not fold with tabs 49, therefore a pair of opposed slots corresponding to slots 40 will be provided below each extension 49 into which the cap 31 will project and the projections or tabs 54 on each main tab 49 will spring past the lower edge of each cap 30 and into recess 35 (FIG. 10). The slots 40 are in alignment with each pair of main tabs 49 transversely of the blank 28, hence each cap 31 will be held to the connector by the pairs of projections 44, 54 at opposite sides of each cap in the recess 35 below each cap and, of course, edges of the marginal portions 37 and tabs 49 will extend below the lower edges of the caps.

The tabs 49 themselves will project downwardly to extend between the adjacent pairs of jars to space them apart and to prevent contact between them in one direction, and the end edges of the slots through which the caps project are positioned to extend across the outer peripheral surfaces of the major diameter portions of caps 31 to resist movement of the jars relatively in a direction at a right angle to said one direction.

An outer thin but tough, flexible, heat shrinkable, waterproof plastic film 55 may surround or enclose the package, and this enclosure functions like the enclosure 28.

The use of the words folding creases herein is intended to include any form of line of weakness to facilitate bending along such line.

FIG. 11 shows a plurality of upright cans 57 connected by a connector generally designated 59 formed from a blank corresponding to blank 1 of FIG. 1. This unit of cans and connector would structurally correspond to the combination shown in FIG. 5 in which the cans are supported on a connector.

The combination of cans and connector are fitted within a rectangular outer casing or film generally designated 58, which film is preferably of thin, flexible, transparent, relatively tough, heat shrink plastic that is waterproof such as disclosed in the patent hereinbefore mentioned, and which film is adapted to be locally shrunk about the cans of containers therein.

The casing 58 is open at its upper end and is preferably of uniform horizontal cross-sectional contour that substantially corresponds to the horizontal outline of the group of cans 57 and the connector 58, so that the cans and connector may be inserted into the casing through its open end. However, the vertical length of the casing 58 is substantially greater than the height of the cans to provide an open chamber at one side only of the group of cans or containers. By localized shrinking of the film or casing 58 the latter is shrunk about the group of containers as indicated in FIG. 11, to thereby firmly hold the containers together, but the extension, which is designated 63 and is generally tubular, remains sufliciently open for insertion of ice 64 into the chamber, the one side of which is defined by the containers and the other sides by the extension 63, after which the chamber is adapted to be closed by a tie tape 60 and the latter tied or twisted together to seal or hold the chamber closed with the ice therein, which ice is in direct heat exchange relation to the walls of the containers 57.

The extension 63 may be initially closed by the tie element 60 as in FIG. 12, in which the surplus is readily folded. against the containers to enable stacking of one package on the other if desired.

By the above structure, a rigid package of cans or the like is provided, and a purchaser may buy a package, such as shown in FIG. 12, then release the tie 60, expand the chamber provided by the extension 63, and place the refrigerant 64, such as ice, in the expanded chamber, close and reseal the latter by the tie 60, and a package, including the refrigerant in direct heat transfer relation to the containers, will be provided. The package is waterproof so that melting ice will not leak and until the cans are actually removed, the handling of the package will not disturb the relationship between the cans and their labels will be oriented so that a neat package will be maintained during the intended life of the package.

It may be here noted that, insofar as placing the group of containers into a bag-like casing 58 is concerned, the containers of the group may be upright or on their sides, and once the film is shrunk, as above described, the connector and containers are held together against any shifting of the cans relative to each other or about their respective axes.

The reference to labels is intended to cover printed matter and designs directly lithographed or printed on the cans or containers, particularly where ice or the like is used, which is the common practice in cans of beverages.

As a method, it may be said that the method of forming a package of cans in side-by-side relation having radially outwardly projecting chimes at one of their ends, and labels on one of their sides, as hereinbefore described, includes the steps of orienting the cans so said labels face in a predetermined direction, then connecting all of the ends of said cans by a connector for holding the cans of the group together in oriented positions in said side-by-side relation and for handling the cans as a group, then enclosing the said group and the connector within a transparent casing and drawing the easing into tight engagement with the group and the connector to hold the cans against rotation about their respective axes, and relative to each other for retaining the cans in oriented positions. Obviously such method may be amplified to include additional steps.

As for the package, it broadly comprises the group of oriented cans including the connector, and the casing of film enclosing the cans and connector holding the cans in oriented position relative to their labels, and against chime-lock, so that the cans of the group will be a rigid unit.

We claim:

1. A connector for a plurality of containers in side-byside relation having parallel axes and radially outwardly projecting end portions at one of their ends;

(a) a generally rectangular blank having a central portion adapted to extend over said one of the ends of said containers and marginal portions along two opposite edges of said blank to project beyond said ends laterally thereof,

(b) a pair of parallel folding creases defining the junctures between said marginal portions and said central portion for folding said marginal portions over two oppositely outwardly facing sides of said plurality of containers when said central portion is over the latter,

(c) said folding creases being spaced within the upwardly projected outline of said containers and interrupted by cuts extending into said marginal portions to provide openings for receiving said radially projecting end portions adjoining said oppositely outwardly facing sides when said central portion is on said one of the ends of said containers with one of the edges of each of said openings engaging the axially facing sides of said projecting end portions at the junction between said sides and said projections,

(d) tabs formed in said central portion integral therelying relation to the said marginal portions of said group, and providing a continuous Wall extending across each of two opposite sides of said group. 3. In a package as defined in claim 2; (c) said connector including a sheet of material hav- 8 ((1) said support means comprising heat-shrinkable plastic extending over said marginal portions of said sheet and said central portion holding the latter in overlying relation to the said marginal portions of said group, and providing a continuous wall extendwith foldable to positions between adjacent coning across each of two opposite sides of said group. tainers and in engagement with said axially facing 4. In apackage as defined in claim 2;

sides of said projecting end portions at points be- (c) said transparent means comprising a bag-like tween said containers for cooperating with said member of heat shrinkable, plastic, waterproof mamarginal portions to hold said plurality of contain- 10 terial having an open end and said group of coners together, tainers and said connector being the end portion of (e) a second pair of parallel folding creases perpensaid member opposite to said open end,

dicular to said first mentioned pair defining the junc- (d) said end portion of said bag being of heat shrinktures between the marginal portion of said blank able plastic tightly shrunk about the said group and along the tWO 011ml edges of Said blank, over the marginal portions of the side of said group (f) said marginal portions on said blank being terfacing said open end thereby holding the containers minal parts thereof adapted to extend over all of the of said group and said connector tightly together as outwardly facing lateral sides of said plurality of a unit, and means for holding said member closed containers along said radially outwardly projecting at the side thereof having said open end.

portions. 5. In a package as defined in claim 4;

2. A package that includes a group of containers hav- (e) the side of said member having said open end ing parallel axes and opposite ends and disposed in sideincluding a tubular extension of said member exby-side relation with labels on one of their sides; tending from said group to said open end providing (a) connecting means for connecting the containers of a chamber for holding a refrigerant, such as ice,

said group for holding them in an oriented position, therein and in direct heat transfer relation to one (b) support means extending around said group and of the walls of each of said containers,

said connecting means, holding said containers onto (f) said containers being cans and said member being said connecting means and holding said containers waterproof, and

against movement relative to said connecting means (g) said means for holding said member closed being and relative to each other, adapted to hold the outer end of said tubular exten- (c) said connector including a sheet of material havsion closed for holding said ice therein and against ing a central portion extending over one of the ends said cans.

of said containers and having terminal marginal por- 6. In a package as defined in claim 5;

tions extending over the marginal portions of said (h) a portion of said member at the juncture between group of containers adjoining said ends and sides said tubular extension and part of said member at and yieldably connected with said central portion, said group extending over the marginal portion of said support means comprising flexible plastic exsaid group that faces toward said open end, Wheretending over said marginal portions of said sheet by said group will be held in said member against and said central portion holding the latter in overdislodgment during the time when ice is held in said extension.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS ing a central portion extending over one of the ends 3,144,130 8/ 1964 Copping. of said containers and having terminal marginal por- 3,118,533 1/1964 Copping 206- tions extending over the marginal portions of said 3,217,874 11/1965 Potter 20665 group of containers adjoining said ends and yieldably connected with said central portion, JAMES MARBERT, Primary er 

